ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday directed Secretary Interior to decide the US citizen, Cynthia Dawn Ritchie's visa issue as per law. A single bench of IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the petition filed by an office-bearer of Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) Chaudhry Iftikhar Ahmad against Cynthia Dawn Ritchie, and deferred the hearing till July 15th after issuing the directions.
During the hearing, Ali Asghar, joint secretary Ministry of Interior appeared before the court, and Sardar Latif Khosa Advocate represented the petitioner, while Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Mohammad Tayyab Shah submitted an interim report on behalf of the federal government.
The DAG told the court that the petitioner had not appeared before the Interior Ministry about his plea. At this, Justice Minallah remarked, "This is a sovereign state and we are watching the conduct of the ministry."
He further said there was no reason for proceedings as "the law should take its own path."
Then the bench directed the Interior Ministry to decide the plea according to law, and also directed the parties to appear before the ministry on Wednesday at 1pm and record their statements.
The court also urged the ministry to decide Ritchie's stay in Pakistan and the extension of her visa, and then inform the court. The petitioner stated before the court that the visa of the respondent No 1 (Cynthia) had expired in March, and that she had applied for extension.
He further informed that the respondent had entered Pakistan on a "business visa". The petitioner asserted before the court that Cynthia was a foreign national and was staying in Pakistan without a valid visa.
He added that her visa had expired and yet respondents were not proceeding against her in accordance with the law. His counsel contended that she was not a registered voter and yet had been allowed and facilitated to interfere and comment on political matters.
He argued that she was being facilitated to tarnish the image of the country by bringing political leadership into disrepute through "false and concocted statements/allegations".
He also argued that activities of Cynthia were in violation of the terms and conditions of the visa, which was earlier granted to her, while the respondents were refusing to act in accordance with law.
In his petition, Iftikhar cited Cynthia, secretary Cabinet Division, secretary interior, director general (DG) Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and chairman Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan as respondents.
Iftikhar, who is secretary general of PPP Rawalpindi city, moved the court through his counsels Chaudhry Farrukh Isamil and Chaudhry Tanveer Akhtar, saying that as per his knowledge the visa of Cynthia expired in March owing to which her stay in Pakistan has become illegal.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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